COTS
Products
Ethernet I/O Server Configures without Programming As embedded computing nodes get more integrated, the myriad I/O connections in military systems tend to remain the same. What’s needed is a way to manage and aggregate all those I/O channels. Along such lines, a new I/O server that uses the Ethernet and IP networks to extend the distance between digital inputs and digital outputs has been introduced by Moxa Technologies. The ioMirror E3210 uses an existing Ethernet and IP network infrastructure, a wide range of applications such as multiple intrusion detection, fluid level sensors and alarm signals, can be extended to multiple locations without the need to lay additional transmission lines. The transmission speed between a DI and DO can be as high as 20 ms over an Ethernet network. Configuration can be carried out with a browser over the network, and with only 4 steps required, all signal mappings can be set up in under 5 minutes. In fact, the process is made even easier since no programming is required. The ioMirror E3210 features I/O status updates within 20 ms and direct input-to-output signal communication over IP. The unit offers local alarm and remote alarm messaging and supports Modbus/TCP for remote monitoring.
Moxa Technologies, Brea, CA. 714) 528-6777. [www.moxa.com].
Battery Management System Supports Li-Ion
PICMG 1.3 Backplanes Targets 2U Computing
Portable battery-powered devices represent one of the most dynamic areas of military system design these days. OceanServer Technology has introduced a patented, fully engineered battery and power system that lets designers add smart, rechargeable Li-ion battery back-up power as an OEM component to virtually any type of electronic and electromechanical equipment. The Intelligent Battery and Power System serves as a complete AC/DC power supply and provides clean, regulated DC, sourced from Li-ion battery packs, an AC wall outlet or any external DC source including solar and wind power. Seamlessly taking over if the external power is interrupted, it recharges automatically when the power is restored and provides status feedback such as charge and discharge rate, time to empty and number of active batteries. Modular, fully scalable and SMB compliant, the Intelligent Battery and Power System lets designers speed the development cycle of integrating up to 48 VDC battery power into an OEM product. A variety of battery management modules and DC converters are offered that can manage up to eight packs each, to provide up to 760 watt-hours of high-density Li-ion power. The Intelligent Battery and Power System is priced starting at $299, depending upon power requirements.
Small, compute-dense military applications are hungry for tighter form-factors. That’s brought the 2U form-factor into the sites of lots of designers. Trenton Technology is feeding this need with two new PICMG 1.3, butterfly formfactor backplanes. These new backplanes support SHB Express system host boards and a variety of PCI Express (PCIe) option cards. The BPG6741 and BPX6736 are optimized for use in 2U chassis systems that operate in graphics-class or serverclass embedded computing applications. The two sides of this 2U backplane are identified as Side A and Side B. Side A of the BPG6741 graphics-class backplane supports one PICMG 1.3 SHB and one x16 PCI Express option card slot. This slot is driven by a x16 PCIe link from a graphics-class system host board and is designed to support x16 PCI Express option cards such as those used in video, graphics and vision inspection systems. Side A also includes the USB Audio interface. Side B includes two x8 PCIe slots driven with x1 links from an SHB like a Trenton MCG-series system host board. Like the BPG6741, the two sides of the BPX6736 are also identified as Side A and Side B. Side A of the BPX6736 server-class backplane supports one PICMG 1.3 SHB, one x16 and one x8 PCI Express option card slot. The backplanes are available now and typical BPG6741 and BPX6736 pricing starts at $316.
OceanServer Technology, Fall River, MA. (508) 678-0550. [www.ocean-server.com].
Trenton Technology, Atlanta, GA. (770) 287-3100. [www.trentontechnology.com].
2.8 GHz Mini-ITX Board Sports Six Serial Ports Today’s level of computer integration allows a tremendous amount of computing power to fit in a stand-alone board. That’s driven some military applications to consider form-factors like the Mini-ITX motherboard form-factor. Serving that need, the eAutomation Group of Advantech introduces the AIMB-240, a Mini-ITX motherboard with 2.8 GHz processing power and six serial communication ports. It’s equipped with a 82852GME chipset, supports Pentium 4 and Celeron processors, and has 400/533 MHz FSB and 1 Gbyte of DDR 266/333 SDRAM. With Intel’s integrated Extreme Graphics 2 controller, the AIMB-240 delivers integrated 3D graphics and video capability without adding expensive graphic cards. There are multiple display interfaces such as LVDS, DVI, TV-out and CRT as well as multimedia features including 5.1 multi-channel audio and DVI transmission of 135 mega-pixels per second. The AIMB-240 uses the Intel ICH 4 to enable expandability. There’s one 32-bit/33 MHz PCI slot and one 32-bit/33 MHz mini-PCI slot that enables flexible expansion. The six serial communication ports and six USB 2.0 ports offer superb connectivity for keyboards, mice and other peripherals. The motherboard also supports dual 10/100Base-Tx Ethernet. Pricing for the AIMB-240 starts at $219.
Advantech, eAutomation Group, Cincinnati, OH. (513) 742-8895. [www.eAutomationPro.com]. [ 56 ] COTS Journal August 2007